The regular BarleyMania readers will know it: I am mostly a malt whisky guy; bourbon and rye – though fantastic categories – only find their way into my glass occasionally. Against this background, I was extra-happy when spirits distributor Prineus GmbH invited me (more…)
“Sustainability and experimentation are the main pillars on which our distillery is based,” said Nc’nean’s founder Annabel Thomas during a recent Zoom tasting hosted by the young Highland unit’s German importer Kirsch Whisky. This also reflects in the motto (more…)
In ancient days, keen alchemists mingled so-called lower metals in a futile attempt to create solid gold. The technique was known as transmutation. Today, skilled craftsmen bring together water, barley, yeast, and oak in order to produce liquid gold. The process is called whisky making. (more…)
When I write a tasting report, I usually try to do more than just describe the drams we had. In this case, however, I am having a hard time providing that “extra value”. The reason: Fary Lochan’s recent “Cask Finishes” tasting was held entirely in Danish. (more…)
In his capacity as Assistant Rerserve Spirit Buyer at Berry Bros & Rudd, Jonny McMillan is fortunate to make a living on a pretty exciting activity: He traverses the wide world of whisky in search of ever-new casks to purchase, develop and bottle. Recently, he started a special project (more…)
On 28 March 2017, the wonderful people at Douglas Laing invited me to join the ranks of their honorary ambassadors. Going by the amiable name of the Fellows, these good-humored whisky enthusiasts help Douglas Laing to spread the word about their products, offers (more…)
Started in 2009, Fary Lochan is Denmark’s first distillery that was custom-built from scratch for whisky making. In the conception and realization of the place, its late founder and visionary Jens-Erik Jørgensen left nothing to chance. His attention to detail and his passion for the water of life (more…)
Lindores Abbey is a young distillery. And yet the place is rich with lore and history. After all, it is the home turf of the fabled monk John Cor, whose name is inseperably attached to the first-ever mention of whisky or uisge beatha in recorded history. (more…)
For Iain Croucher, the founder and mainman of Scottish indie bottler North Star Spirits, whisky is a pretty simple thing. At the end of the day, he claims, a good bottling must only meet four criteria: It must be honest. It must be fun. It must be tasty. And it must be opened and shared. (more…)
BarleyMania | Whisky & Whiskey 